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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24166318">In Transition Once Again</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cumberhardhiddlesbitch/pseuds/cumberhardhiddlesbitch'>cumberhardhiddlesbitch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Rhombus 'Verse [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>British Actor RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friendship/Love, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:28:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,304</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24166318</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cumberhardhiddlesbitch/pseuds/cumberhardhiddlesbitch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben updates Martin and Amanda on the evolving situation with Shannon.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amanda Abbington/Benedict Cumberbatch/Martin Freeman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Rhombus 'Verse [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/715134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In Transition Once Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from the song "Growing Up" by Peter Gabriel.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ben rang the doorbell, his hand tightening on the bottle of wine he was holding when he heard Amanda’s laughter as she came to the door. It had been almost three months since they’d been able to get together in this aspect, only able to see each other at events or chatting by phone. And then there was the news he had to impart; what would they even think of that? </p>
<p>Amanda was still grinning as she opened the door. “Benedict!” she exclaimed, beckoning him in, shutting and locking the door behind him before pushing him back against it. “It’s good to see you,” she said, softer, as she rubbed her hands up and down his arms.</p>
<p>“And you,” he replied, happy to be with her again. </p>
<p>She went up on her toes to meet him as he leant down to kiss her, soft and warm. Pulling back enough that he could see the grin on her face, she said, “Now kiss me for real.”</p>
<p>“With pleasure.”</p>
<p>Their mouths met again, harder, tongues sweeping in and teasing, Amanda’s hands tightening on his arms as she pressed herself closer to him. His free hand swept up to cup the back of her head, his fingers sliding through her hair, the hand holding the bottle more awkwardly wrapping around her back as he gave himself over to the kiss.</p>
<p>“I’ll just take this, shall I, before you drop it on the floor,” Martin said, taking the bottle.</p>
<p>With his newly freed hand, Ben reached for Martin blindly, ending up with a handful of shirt, holding him in place while he continued to kiss Amanda. </p>
<p>“Whilst I always enjoy watching the two of you, I am trying to finish getting our meal ready,” Martin said equably. </p>
<p>Amanda pulled back, breathless, licking her lips and smiling. “Darling, greet Ben properly.” </p>
<p>“There’s this law of physics that no two bodies can occupy the same space at the same time, so…”</p>
<p>“Prick,” she said, laughing, taking the bottle from him and walking toward the kitchen.</p>
<p>Martin looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “And do you think I’m a prick?”</p>
<p>“Indubitably.” Ben was barely keeping his grin off his face, sure he’d laugh any moment now and not wanting to be the first to break.</p>
<p>“Well then.” Martin tried to look downtrodden at receiving this news, but he couldn’t hold it, and his mouth quirked, leading to both of them bursting into laughter, Martin leaning forward, his head tucked against Ben’s shoulder as one of Ben’s hands came up to rest on his back.</p>
<p>“Indeed,” he said once they’d begun to calm, only to set them off again.</p>
<p>“Boys, get in here,” Amanda’s voice called from the kitchen after another minute.</p>
<p>They giggled again like the boys she’d called them, and then Martin looked up at him out of the corner of his eyes and Ben couldn’t stop his fond smile. Martin’s answering smile mirrored his and, like with Amanda, they met in the middle, mouths open, tongues slipping in, though they both managed to keep it gentle.</p>
<p>“Aww, look at you two.” Amanda’s voice was unbearably fond on the surface, but Ben caught the undertones--the enjoyment at seeing them together and the hunger for more--and by Martin’s shiver, he had as well. </p>
<p>“Just following your directions,” Martin said after they’d pulled apart.</p>
<p>“The first set, anyway. Bit slow on the uptake tonight, yeah?” </p>
<p>“And you weren’t distracted by him, before?” </p>
<p>“All right, I’ll give you that, but you’ve done your duty here, so come along to the kitchen and get back to it there.”   </p>
<p>Ben squeezed Martin’s shoulder and let him go, smiling as Amanda gave his bum a smack as he walked by her. Once Martin was past, she looked back at Ben, catching his smile, and returned it, beckoning him forward, and far be it from him to deny her.</p>
<p>In the kitchen, she poured Ben a glass of red wine then sat on a stool at the island and patted the one next to her. </p>
<p>“Dinner smells fantastic,” he said, sitting next to her.</p>
<p>“Lasagna,” Martin replied as he bustled around the kitchen, finishing up putting a salad together.</p>
<p>Ben knew better than to ask if there was anything he could help with, and yet his mother’s voice was in his head telling him he should ask to be polite. Instead, he bit his lip and reached for the wine glass, taking a deep sniff, coming up with violet and black cherries. “Christ, you cracked the Taurasi?”</p>
<p>“It’s a special occasion,” Amanda answered, taking a sip.</p>
<p>“Not a complaint, darling,” he said, taking a sip of his own, rolling it over his tongue, picking up the notes of black cherry, pepper, and bitter cocoa. “Fuck that’s good,” he nearly moaned.</p>
<p>“It’ll pair brilliantly with the lasagna,” Martin said as he took the salad bowl to the table.</p>
<p>“My mouth is literally watering,” Ben said, swallowing again, then licking his lips.</p>
<p>“You could just take another drink of wine, you know,” Amanda said, smirking.</p>
<p>“Ah, but that wouldn’t draw your attention to my mouth.”</p>
<p>“Jesus,” Martin replied, snorting.</p>
<p>“Like you both weren’t just staring,” Ben responded, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p>“It <i>has</i> been a good while since we’ve been able to do that freely, you know,” Martin said mildly as he rounded the island. The oven timer went and he opened the door, nodding as he grabbed a pair of oven mitts. </p>
<p>“God, that smells a<i>maz</i>ing,” Ben proclaimed.</p>
<p>“It just needs to rest a bit,” Martin replied as he turned to face them. “Shall we have the salad whilst we wait?”</p>
<p>“Let’s,” Amanda said, getting to her feet.</p>
<p>The salad went quickly and Martin got up and headed back to the kitchen, plating three slices of lasagna and bringing them back to the table. After setting plates in front of Ben and Amanda, he took his to his seat.</p>
<p>“Buon appetito,” he said, raising his glass.</p>
<p>Ben and Amanda echoed the sentiment, raising their own glasses, and then they all settled in to enjoy the main. </p>
<p>“Martin, you’ve outdone yourself,” Ben declared.</p>
<p>“It is delicious, darling,” Amanda added, nodding.</p>
<p>Thank you, both,” Martin said with a small smile.</p>
<p>The next few minutes were spent quietly, no real conversation, only sounds of enjoyment breaking the silence until they’d gotten the initial hunger taken care of. As if by unspoken agreement, they all settled back in their chairs.</p>
<p>“So, Ben, you’ve seemed more...content, lately,” Martin said, taking a sip of wine.</p>
<p>“Mm. I’ve been making strides toward that, yes. I think I may be getting there.”</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t be so bloody coy,” Amanda said, laughing. “You’ve got someone other than Hardy, we can tell. Is it serious, then?”</p>
<p>He thought of Shannon, how her smiles had changed from forced and fake to genuine and warm, happy to see him instead of having to endure his presence. “I hope it will be.”  His teeth worried at his lip for a moment. “I want it to be, but it isn’t only up to me or I’d have it settled already.”</p>
<p>“Man or woman?” Amanda asked, softly, and Ben could hear the hope in the question.</p>
<p>“Woman.”</p>
<p>“Oh, Benny!” she exclaimed as Martin said, “That’s fantastic, mate!”</p>
<p>“Hang on, you two, it isn’t like we’re getting married next month; I haven’t even got round to asking if she’ll be with me at all yet!”</p>
<p>“What? Why not?” Even though Martin had asked the question, they were both looking at him like he was mental.</p>
<p>“Because it isn’t so simple. The situation is…” He shook his head as he reached for his wine glass, wondering how they’d react when he finally strung together the words.</p>
<p>“Does Tom know her?” </p>
<p>Unfortunately for Ben, he’d just taken a sip of wine when Amanda asked, and he choked on it, managing to swallow it before descending into a coughing fit. </p>
<p>“I take it that’s a yes. Is she an ex-girlfriend of his or something?” </p>
<p>“Not an ex,” he managed before coughing some more. Not exactly the way he’d wanted to spring the news, but needs must when one couldn’t breathe properly. Rather than pepper him with further questions, they waited until he’d recovered his breath and drank some water without coughing further.</p>
<p>“All right?” Martin asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” He took a breath and nodded as he released it. “So the woman I’ve been spending time with, getting to know, and beginning to want as much more than just a friend is none other than Shannon Jolicoeur.”</p>
<p>"Who not all that long ago you were telling us you wished would fuck right off?" Martin asked, eyebrows raising.</p>
<p>He grimaced at the reminder of how he'd felt about Shannon in the not too distant past. "Yes, well, I've changed my mind about that."</p>
<p>"Obviously," Amanda said dryly.</p>
<p>"No, but I mean, I didn't know her then. I just knew that Tom was ready to throw me over for her on less than one day and without truly knowing her, and I was livid."</p>
<p>"Rightfully so," Martin put in.</p>
<p>"I thought so, anyway," Ben said, "I was terribly cold at first, and I hurt her, but thankfully we were able to get past that. She's rather forgiving, is Shannon."</p>
<p>"Sounds like Tom didn't handle that very well," Amanda said.</p>
<p>"He didn't, no, and then I compounded the issue, giving her little choice but to respond negatively to me, and she rose admirably to that challenge. God, we behaved badly, all of us. Anyway, Tom knew he'd made a mistake in handling the initial meeting between Shannon and me, so he decided to fix it."</p>
<p>"Oh Jesus, this is going to be fucking amazing, I can tell already," Martin said, snorting.</p>
<p>"Let it not be said that Tom doesn't try to clean up his messes,” Ben said with a crooked smile. “It was about two months after our disastrous first meeting. I’d been texting with Tom, trying to find a good time for us to get together around our schedules, and he sent me a message that could have been taken two different ways, the deceptive prat. I rode my bike over and the goddamn sky opened up on me. No one was there yet, so I changed into some of Tom’s clothes and threw my wet things in the tub. Next thing I know, Shannon comes in and we’re forced to share space because of the storm. I’ll admit my first thought on seeing her was to tell her to get out of the flat, but my mum raised me better than that, so we made tea and at some point over the evening, which also included some lager and a curry as well as some delicious scones, we discovered that we’d both got the wrong end of the stick about each other.”</p>
<p>“So you actually had a decent conversation then,” Amanda said.</p>
<p>“Yes! We found that we’d both made assumptions about how we’d begun this relationship, and we had enough intelligence between us to give up on the negativity and start trying to get to know each other and be friendly rather than coolly civil. Once we started down that path, we quickly realised we could be good friends and spend time with all three of us together rather than trying to carve out smaller bits of time for either her and Tom or me and Tom. It’s worked out very well, and now she and I think nothing of meeting up for a drink or a meal and spending time just the two of us.”  </p>
<p>"I take it she knows your...proclivities?" Martin asked. He and Amanda were part of a select few people who knew about the bdsm aspect of Tom and Ben's relationship.</p>
<p>“She does, yes.”</p>
<p>“Is she into that sort of thing or is she more a bystander like me?” Amanda asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t think she was into it before, but Tom doesn’t say a lot about that to me, if I’m honest. And really, the most important part is that she’s willing to try it on and see, and I do know she’s doing that.”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s good, anyway.”</p>
<p>“It is. I’d go so far as to say paramount, really. If she can’t deal with that part of him, it can’t last, no matter how much any of us wish it otherwise.”</p>
<p>“To be honest, Ben, I can’t believe I’m hearing you talk about Shannon like you want her to be in your life now. It’s rather a huge turnabout,” Martin said, shaking his head.</p>
<p>“I know. I’m well used to it now, but this hasn’t been something I could talk about over the phone or at the kinds of places we’ve been meeting the past little while, so I’m aware this is rather shocking.”</p>
<p>“Too fucking right,” Amanda said, snorting. “The paps would have a fucking field day with something like this.”</p>
<p>“Absolutely, and I don’t plan on giving them the chance. Not until it’s on <i>our</i> terms to release the news. Speaking about choices regarding dissemination of information, I wanted to ask you both something. When I do ask Shannon to be with me as a partner, I’d like to be able to tell her about us as she’ll have the need to know at that point. What do you think?”</p>
<p>Martin and Amanda looked at each other, having an entire conversation with facial expressions. He took another sip of wine and waited.</p>
<p>“Will you give us a heads up before you tell her?” Martin asked.</p>
<p>“Of course. If you have any conditions to put on it or a limit to the amount of information you want me to give, I will certainly work with that, I just…” He sighed. “I know Shannon, and she will need to know about any other relationships that I’m in at the start of ours.”</p>
<p>“Would she need to know who we are and how we got together?” Amanda said quietly. </p>
<p>“If you don’t want her to know then I won’t tell her. She’s curious, and she’ll <i>want</i> to know, but that information isn’t necessary to my relationship with her in any way. What I will <i>need</i> to tell her is that I am in a long-term relationship with a couple, but that’s basically it.”</p>
<p>“It’s lovely to know that you consider us long-term,” Martin said, smiling.</p>
<p>“Did you think I thought otherwise?” he asked, eyebrows raised.</p>
<p>“It isn’t as though we talk about it when we’re together,” Amanda said, shrugging. “This is the first real discussion we’ve had about it since we stopped bothering with negotiations, and that’s been a bloody age. We didn’t know what any long-term expectations there were, but we figured as long as everyone was happy with it, we’d keep on, and that’s seemed to work well for us.”</p>
<p>“It has, yes, but I’m rather terrible at relationship discussions to be honest. Everyone tells me so, and it seems I’ve lived down to expectations once again. The thing is, you’re both important to me as friends and more, and you deserve better than me swanning through your lives with nary a word about future events.”</p>
<p>“Is that supposed to be some sort of romantic declaration, Benedict Cumberbatch? Because if the answer is yes, it’s sorely fucking lacking in both romance and a sense of declaration,” Martin replied, his face carefully neutral even as Amanda began laughing.</p>
<p>“No, I was just attempting to use my words. I can do a romantic declaration if you’d like, but I’d ask for a bit of prep time beforehand to make sure it is, in point of fact, an actual declaration that is romantic.”</p>
<p>“You are both fucking ridiculous,” Amanda said, still laughing. </p>
<p>“I’d never say otherwise,” Ben agreed, trying and failing to keep his grin contained.</p>
<p>“I bloody would,” Martin argued.</p>
<p>“You’d be wrong for that, Martin John Christopher.”</p>
<p>“All three names worth of wrong,” Ben said, laughing at Martin’s now chagrined look before becoming serious again. “But to get back to the actual point, the reason Tom and I got crossed up was because we’d never discussed our relationship over the years even though it had changed. We rolled on, getting together when we could and otherwise just being mates, then suddenly Shannon came into our lives and everything went to hell. As far as I was concerned at the time, anyway.”</p>
<p>“Benny--” Amanda began.</p>
<p>“No, please listen, all right?” Seeing both of them nod, he went on, “All of us got lucky with how that’s turned out. Even if Shannon and I don’t end up partners, we’ll still be friends, and that is not something that was ever assured. I’m not prescient; I can’t see how the future will go, but I’m hopeful that Shannon will be a permanent part of my life, and that means that you’ll all be fixtures in each other’s lives going down the road. What I hope happens is that after you’ve met her and spent a little time with her, you’ll find her worthy of keeping our secret.”</p>
<p>“So you’re serious about not telling her everything up front.” Martin said, looking at him intently.</p>
<p>“Absolutely. As I said, she’ll be curious, but who wouldn’t be hearing such a thing? If anyone is going to understand protecting privacy, though, it’s going to be her.”</p>
<p>“And you don’t think she’ll have a problem with it?” Amanda asked.</p>
<p>“I think Shannon has got an immersion course into the dynamics of polyamoury over the past few months. One can have an intellectual knowledge about such things, but to live them is something different. One of the things I know she’s picked up, examined, and implemented is the fact that just because there’s a certain level of access in one piece of the equation doesn’t guarantee the same in any of the other pieces. Truly, all I’m asking your permission for is to tell her that I am in a relationship with two amazing people whom I can’t imagine being without.”</p>
<p>“She could guess.” Amanda bit her lip after she spoke.</p>
<p>“You say that as though there isn’t a large corner of the internet that produces stories about us fucking on the regular,” Ben replied, tilting his head. </p>
<p>“It isn’t the same, Ben,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.</p>
<p>“I know,” he answered, relenting. “And it’s true, she might. She guessed about Tom and me before he told her, so that’s a possibility, but even if she did, she wouldn’t do anything with that knowledge.”</p>
<p>“You’re certain about that?” </p>
<p>“I am. She knows how important it is to keep counsel in our circles, and whenever you choose to allow her your identities, she will protect that information fiercely. If I’m honest, I think you’ll both truly like her when you get to know her.” </p>
<p>“I can’t imagine <i>not</i> liking her,” Amanda said, one side of her mouth ticking up. “She had the spine to stand toe to toe with you when you were opponents, the grace to bow and accept new terms to your relationship, and the fortitude to take you on after everything that’s gone before.”</p>
<p>“True enough,” Martin added.   </p>
<p>“Well, I’m happy that you’re both willing to look past my earlier characterisations of her. She deserves better.”</p>
<p>“She’ll get the benefit of the doubt, no worries,” Martin said, reassuring.</p>
<p>“Just do let us know when you’re going to tell her, yeah?” Amanda said.</p>
<p>“I shall.”</p>
<p>“Well then,” she said, looking from Ben to Martin as she dipped her finger through the sauce still on her plate and licked it off before sticking it in her mouth and sucking. “Are we about ready for the next course?”</p>
<p>Ben grinned widely, happiness and anticipation for what was still to come bright and warm in him. “Absolutely.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Find us <a href="https://cumberhardhiddlesbitch.tumblr.com/">here</a> over at tumblr and say hey or ask questions or just look at our pretty, pretty boys.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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